Interior Lifts Moratorium on Federal Coal Leasing (2)

The Interior Department is ending a moratorium on federal coal leasing, saying it has no significant environmental impact—a move certain to trigger further wrangling in the courts.

The Bureau of Land Management said the decision clears the way to start processing applications for coal leases on federal lands, according to a final environmental assessment posted on the department’s website Wednesday.

The Obama administration imposed a moratorium on coal leasing on federal lands as part of its climate change strategy. But President Donald Trump signed an executive order requiring then-Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to lift it in 2017, in line with...